Luxury Reviews

It's the doors. It's all about the doors.

The car that says everything about Mercedes-Benz in 2009 is bold, brutal and ballistically quick.  The two-door SLS coupe takes its historic inspiration from the 300 SL of the 1950s, but goes fully 21st century in everything from its safety package to comfort, quality and advanced materials.It is a super sports coupe in almost every way, but promised to be just as good as a daily drive. Provided, of course, you have a bank balance that can take a half-million dollar hit.  And it is so much more than just a Gullwing.The SLS is the first road-up project for Benz's go-fast AMG division, which was tasked with creating a flagship speed machine after the collapse of the F1-based collaboration with McLaren that created the fast-but-flawed SLR.  The new coupe is officially the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but it was always going to be called the Gullwing once the planning team decided to do an update on the roof-hinged door system that was also a signature for the fifties car.This time around there is even a pyrotechnic escape plan if the car happens to go upside-down in a shunt — allowing the doors to be unhinged from the body following a crash.  The Gullwing is a relatively conventional design for a super-coupe, with a front-mounted, naturally-aspirated V8 engine, two leather-wrapped seats in a cabin with a satnav-aircon-sound package, and rear-wheel drive.But it also gets a transaxle gearbox below the back end, dry sumping for the engine, available ceramic brakes, and switchable settings for the seven-speed gearbox and stability program. Flat-finish paint is also available, and so are Recaro rack buckets.  The numbers are mightily impressive, from 420kW and 650Nm to 3.8 seconds and 317km/h.  The SLS also has economy of 13.2L/100km and CO2 emissions of 308grams/ km.The Gullwing will hit Australia by July next year and there are already 15 deposit-paid customers, led by trucking magnate and long-time Gullwing fan Lindsay Fox — who has a brace of 1950s originals in his Melbourne collection.The thundering exhaust note from the Gullwing signals serious speed.  It's a maximum-bass rumble that comes with splitting and popping on the over-run into corners, and a loud crack for upshifts in full manual mode.It sets the SLS away from everything else in the class, claiming a character that is suitably masculine for a big-bore Benz.  The rest of the car is similarly focussed, particularly on the road. It turns wickedly-quick into corners, with no sign of front-end push or baulk, has great mid-turn balance, and can grip and go as soon as you pick up the throttle.  The optional ceramic brakes — around $20,000 in Australia -are fade-free, do not squeak at low speeds, and give break feel and stopping power.The seven-speed transmission can slur like an auto in traffic, or go thump-quick on upshifts if you hit the track.When you uncork the car on a track it responds incredibly well, particularly in 80-140km/h turns and climbs around the Laguna Seca in northern California. The torque pushes it out of any corner and it will charge quickly to 200km/h.  Not that most owners will be doing that sort of driving.As a road car it feels strong, refined and suitably quick. Some people find the styling a bit clunky, and it's definitely not as elegant as the fifties Gullwing, but the roof action is light and access is good.  The boot is supercar tight and my real complaint is the space in the passenger seat. It is short of leg space, or headroom, and sometimes both. Even compared with Benz's own SL.Speaking of the SL, AMG is already working on an open-air SLS and promises a convertible would be just as quick and nearly as taut.  The Gullwings is not a Ferrari, or even a track-scalpel car like the Lexus LFA, but it's the sort of supercar that would be an easy daily drive.The best comparison is probably with the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, which missed targets on both sides of the performance/liveability divide.  The SLS hits them, and hard, to prove that AMG knows its customers and knows what is important to them and Mercedes-Benz.

Dirty, dozy diesels are well and truly a thing of the past. Today's modern high-tech diesels, like the Mercedes-Benz BlueEfficiency range, hum like a bee yet still have plenty of sting in their tail when you need some serious performance.The latest 2.1-litre BlueEfficiency powerplants in the E-Class range may be smaller in size than previous engines, but direct injection and high-tech turbocharging have increased efficiency and performance.DrivetrainsThe newest four-cylinder Mercedes turbodiesels are the first four-cylinder diesel E-Class sedans to be sold here.  Despite having the same 2.1-litre capacity, each BlueEfficiency E-Class gets a different state of tune.The E220 manages 125kW/400Nm while the 2.1-litre E250 delivers 150kW/500Nm, the type of performance figures once the domain of hot petrol engines.  Two BlueEfficiency models are available, the E220 CDI and E250 CDI, as well as a more conventional 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 in the E350 CDI that develops 170kW/540Nm.The 2.1-litre uses an upgraded common-rail injection system with high-precision piezo-injectors and a new turbocharger.  To make the engine operate more efficiently there are newly-developed fast-acting ceramic glowplugs and twin balancing shafts for smoother idling.Both are frugal. The E220 CDI has a combined fuel economy of 6.1 litres/100km while the E250 CDI uses 5.3 litres/100km.  The engines are significantly stronger, yet at the same time thriftier and emit less carbon than older turbo-diesels.But BlueEfficiency is just part of the new E-Class story.  Apart from the turbodiesels, three petrol models bring the E-Class sedan count up to six, not including the super-hot E63 AMG V8 muscle car.Fuel-saving measuresApart from six-cylinder petrol-like performance and four-cylinder economy, the BlueEfficiency pair gain a variety of econo-measures to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases.  There are newly developed tyres designed to reduce friction and energy-saving generator, fuel pump, air conditioning compressor and power steering.As well `intelligent' aerodynamic aids allow the cars to slip through the air more easily.  There is underbody paneling to streamline airflow under the car and a partially covered grille helps smooth out the car's shape and lower wind resistance.Pricing and variantsAcross the new E range, each variant gets more equipment yet prices have effectively dropped while more standard equipment has been added to better match the E-Class's German rivals from BMW and Audi.Mercedes-Benz Australia says the E350 is $2965 less than the outgoing model, with more than $10,000 in extra standard equipment. The E500 has risen by $11,232 but gets about $21,000 worth of additional standard gear.  The range starts with the $80,900 E220 CDI and $96,900 E250 CDI, with the range topping CDI being the $131,900 E350 CDI V6.The petrol mix consists of the $128,900 E350 V6, high-tech $93,900 E250 CGI and $178,900 E500 V8. The E350 develops 200kW/350Nm and the E500 ups the ante with 285kW/530Nm.  The surprise package is the new 1.8-litre four cylinder E250 CGI, which requires more than a second glance. It uses turbo-charging, variable valve timing and direct injection, to pump up the performance to 150kW/310Nm.  This translates into a fuel economy figure of 7.6 litres/100km and greenhouse gase emissions of 179 g/km.The E350, which is expected to be the volume model, gets front and rear parking sensors with parking guidance, seven-speed G-tronic automatic, the lane-keeping package with blind-spot alarm, attention assist, 18-inch alloys, bi-xenon headlights with adaptive high-beam assist and cruise control.  It also has split/fold rear seats, cupholders, cable for the iPod input, multi-contour front seats and multi-zone climate control airconditioning.The E500 ups the ante with keyless entry and go, more luxurious front seats, alarm and sunblinds for the rear window and side rear windows.Driving — PAUL GOVERWhat's not to like about the new E250, short of the pricetag? It's as creamy as a bar of lovely, Swiss Lindt chocolate, supremely safe and the sort of car you would happily use to cruise from Melbourne to Sydney or beyond. With a terrrific fuel consumption as the sidebar bonus.Ok, the front-end styling is a bit chunky and it takes a while to learn to like the creases and folds in the body panels. That's typical of Benz, which comes late to a styling trend — BMW has been doing this sort of stuff for a generation — and then goes its own way with the sort of look that will endure for at least 10 years.The new E-Class is a little confronting, though still nowhere near the latest Subaru Liberty, to make it stand out in traffic, but the cabin is terrific and relaxing and effective and . . . nice.  My first shock is the 250's engine. At first I'm not convinced it's a diesel, and I still struggle to believe it is so small. And a four-pot.  It has terrific shove from a standing start, great overtaking power, and will easily run 6L/100km economy on the highway.It's not a match for something like the Mini D or the miserly petrol-powered Suzuki Alto, but the car is also big and luxurious and the  engine must be working harder than it would in a city runabout. I don't care about the BlueEfficiency tag because you don't need to label something that gives great go with sensible overall economy in the 7.2L/100km range just to get my attention.The test car comes loaded with stuff that takes its price past $100,000 and that's not good, but do you really need a sunroof and keyless starting and the other fripperies? For me, any car where you don't have to put the key into the dash — with the potential to misplace the key or leave it in the car when you park — is annoying and a step too far on the luxury path. And that's the new E  . . .There is good space for five in the new E and the overall package is exactly the sort of thing that first won me to the mid-sized Benz, back in the 1980s. It is more refined than ever, with more gear than ever, but still the same basic deal.  The boot is roomy, the car is easy to park, and it's surprisingly good to drive.Yes, the E rolls a bit in corners, but it holds a good line and will cover a twisty road with surprising pace and balance. It has abilities most owners will never tap.  Compared with a 5-Series or A6, the Mercedes feels bigger than the BMW and more solid and impressive than the Audi. You expect that in an all-new model, but I also know the Benz will keep on keeping on.It's now also commendably quiet, has a useful new dashboard screen for things like sound and satnav — with a brilliant surround sound package in the test car — and a safety package that matches or betters the best in the world. The attention-assist system alone, which reminds you to break long journeys, is a huge deal for Australia where fatigue is an unrecognised problem for most people.The latest E does not rate any maximum scores, except on safety, but it is a 9-from-10 car in just about everything. That makes it sensible, sublime and a star. It is so good it qualifies easily for our Car of the Year contest, and would be my first choice — for the money — for any interstate or holiday run.  And I still cannot believe that punchy diesel engine is only a four.Score 83/100BOTTOM LINE: More of the good stuff in a mid-sized BenzMercedes-Benz E250 CDI BlueEfficiencyPRICE From $96,900ENGINE 2.1-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinderPOWER  150kW at 4200 revsTORQUE 500Nm from 1600 revsTRANSMISSION Five-speed automaticFUEL CONSUMPTION 7.2/100km combinedCO2 EMISSIONS 139g/kmRivalsBMW 530d 79/100 (from $116,250)Audi A6 2.7 TDI 77/100 (from $84,500)Jaguar XF 3.0 V6D 78/100 (from $116,250)

I have a friend - yes, it's true - who is a keen cyclist and who, among other challenges, has circumnavigated Australia on his treadly.  Despite living some distance from the CBD, he cycles to his city office on occasions when the weather is fair and may take to the road on weekends for a bit of extra legwork.  Cycling doesn't imply that my friend practices financial restraint because when he gets out of the lycra he gets into his Saab convertible."I would never have a car with a roof again," he says. "It's just like being on a bike. You see more, feel more, hear more and I get to wherever I'm going without feeling captured, closed in and stressed. I even drive a bit slower."Which answers questions about the Sunday driving style of many convertible owners and specifically ignores all the potential downsides of sunburn and erratic hair.  Convertibles, above all, are sexy. Yes, sexier than lycra. And this, Aston Martin's latest DBS Volante which is the first to land in Australia, is the sexiest of them all.Sexy is subjective but I've yet to find anyone disagreeable about the looks of an Aston Martin. Then you just take the top off and voila!  But it's more than that. Technically this V12-engined machine is identical to the DBS Coupe and V12 Vantage and one rung up from the DB9 models.It's designed for grand touring with a fang on the side, a car that will cosset you and your lady on your weekender yet at a press of the accelerator, capable of baring its teeth. Its bite really is as formidable as its bark.Pricing and fit-outAt $535,350 (plus on-road costs) this is the Touchmatic version that loses the clutch pedal and gains steering wheel paddle shifters and a civilised approach commuting. The six-speed manual, wonderful though it is, may become hard work in traffic.  It's priced to shout loudly at its arrival on the street and just in case you missed its vision, there's that distinctive "active" exhaust system to rasp its symphony up and down your spine.The Volante is a four-seater according to Aston literature. But the only way a human could occupy the beautifully sculptured leather cocoon behind the driver is to remove superfluous limbs or adjust the seat until the driver's chest is pressing on the steering wheel.  For two occupants. it's a lovely piece of work. The rear seats are good for shopping bags and that leaves plenty of legroom upfront.The cabin is pure Aston and identical to the rest of the range. Only trim and colour defines the models and in the case of the DBS Volante, includes carbon-fibre door pulls and centre console mask and the remains of selected cattle.  The roof is fabric and for the new model - identified predominantly by the clear tail light lenses - is thinner. That means more room for your head but Aston assures does not increase the intrusion of exterior noise. For heaven's sake, isn't there enough noise going on under the bonnet and out the tailpipes?The boot is just a small carpeted box and instead of a spare wheel there's an aerosol kit and the telephone number of a tilt-tray truck.  Volante owners who can be bothered also get an anti-buffeting screen for days and nights when the roof is down. They will appreciate, however, that when the wind is modest the roof can be raised or lowered at vehicle speeds of up to 48km/h.You don't have to make a spectacle of yourself stopped at the traffic lights, even if you wanted to, because the roof action is surprisingly rapid.  Running your fingers through the automatic gearbox is simply a matter of pressing the relevant button atop the centre console, with individual cogs commanded by the paddles sprouting from the steering column.The fun starts with the "Sports" button set low in the console, positioned almost out of temptation and alongside the equally fearful switch that disarms the electronic stability and traction system.  With a hot 380kW V12 under the alloy bonnet, you would think there was no need for a Sports button. In fact, it doesn't produce more power it just sharpens up drivetrain components so it reacts quicker, spins further and sounds even more magnetic.The button defaults to the off position and was so sorely missed that I had to keep turning it back on, even if it was to exaggerate the exhaust howl.DrivingDiscovering the importance of the button meant spending a cool morning on a vacant track, flicking up and down the paddles on the left and right and letting the tachometer needle close in on 8000rpm.  It has brilliant handling, with a bite in the corners and the immense torque on tap for a slingshot exit.Despite its bulk and its price tag, it's a very easy car to punt and even driven hard shows little tendency to lose the plot.  Though the Volante is mechanically identical to its DBS Coupe sister, there are distinct characteristics.  It rides so well you'd never think it had 20-inch wheels. Harsh traffic bumps that upset similar cars are simply glided over in the Volante.As if appreciating that a roof-down car invites more noise, the Volante's exhaust starts with a burble and crackle and then softens to being almost inaudible at 2000rpm before waking the dead when the engine hits 4000rpm.  This interval is where a driver - not necessarily you or me - would coast through narrow suburban streets and motor gently down a busy shopping strip.Here it is seen but not necessarily heard. You and I, of course, would select first cog and get the engine over 4000rpm and do a slow but raucous parade to make ourselves noticed and value-add the price we paid for the car. And for $535,350, we'd be within our rights.ASTON MARTIN DBS VOLANTEPrice: $535,350Engine: 6-litre, V12Power: 380kW @ 6500rpmTorque: 570Nm @ 5750rpmPerfomance: 0-100km/h: 4.3 seconds, top speed: 307km/h Economy (official): 16.4 litres/100km, (tested): 21.5 litres/100kmTransmission: 6-speed automatic, sequential; rear-driveRating: 90/100Rivals: Bentley Continental GTC Speed Conv ($480,997) 88/100 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder ($502,000) 91/100 Ferrari California ($459,650) 90/100 Mercedes SL65 AMG ($502,000) _ 89/1000

It sounds impossible: a race car that you can also drive every day on the road, over shopping centre speed bumps and into your steep driveway.  But that's how Porsche Cars Australia managing director Michael Winkler describes his "personal favourite" the new GT3, arriving in January.It features an optional body lift system which raises the front by 30mm via hydraulic shocks to clear speed bumps and help you get into your driveway. It automatically switches off again over 50km/h.  "So it's not just for track use," says Winkler.  "The improvements make it more of a driving car for everyday."The new GT3 will cost about $280,000 with final confirmation next week. That compares with the previous model which cost $256,900 when it finished at the end of 2007.  It has minor styling changes that only the eagle-eyed would notice such as the 3.8 on the spoiler which signifies a larger engine capacity, bored out from 3.6 litres. The restyled spoiler also creates more downforce at high speed.Another noticeable feature is the wheels that have a different design with a lightweight alloy central hub the same as the GT3 Cup race car.  "In typical Porsche fashion whatever changes are made needs to be for a better driving performance," he said.  "We don't make change for the sake of change."If the styling changes are minimal, the performance tweaks are more than incremental.  Under the bonnet there is a boost in power of 15kW to 320kW, while torque is up 25Nm to 430Nm and maximum revs up 100rpm to 8500rpm.It will cost $281,600 with 33 per cent luxury car tax, which compares with the previous model costing $256,900 when it finished at the end of 2007 and was subject to 25 per cent LCT.It also comes with a manual six-speed transmission only, with the same ratios, but a shorter throw. Winkler said their PDK twin-clutch transmission would not be suitable for racing.  "A race-adequate PDK would be too uncomfortable for driving on the road," he said.Porsche claims the new GT3 is 0.2 seconds faster to 100km/h than the previous model, 0.5 seconds faster to 169km/h and has a 2km/h higher top speed (312km/h), while emissions are down and fuel economy remains the same.  Brakes now have 380mm discs on the front, up from 350mm, while the rear brake rotors remain the same.For the first time in a GT3, it comes with stability control which is switchable. The traction control can also now be turned off.  Winkler expects to sell about 80 in a year with about 20-25 orders already in.  He said that for the 20 per cent of owners who would go racing, a Club Sport race package was available as a no-cost option.It includes a rear roll cage, six-point racing harness in the driver's seat, fire extinguisher and wiring for the battery cut-off switch.  "You can pay extra and get the front roll cage as well or make your own," Winkler said."The advantage of the rear roll cage is you can get in and out easily when driving it for daily use."  He said about 80 per cent of buyers of the first-generation GT3 took the Club Sport option. That decreased to 50 per cent for the second generation."Even those that didn't go racing or intend to go racing got the package because it raised resale values as a lot of third and fourth buyers of the car wanted them for racing," he said.  "But I will bet there will be more road driving this time mainly because it doesn't delete a lot of features such as airconditioning and power windows."More than ever it is a car you can drive every day without feeling you have made a compromise."  PR manager Paul Ellis said Australian Porsche buyers were more discerning than European buyers who bought GT3s without basic creature comforts.The centre console's "Sport" button stiffens the shock absorbers and gives more positive throttle response. It also now changes the setting on the intake manifold for peak torque across a broader rev band and stiffens the engine mount system.  "In racing you mount the engine directly to the chassis to make it stiff and part of the car," Winkler said. "But it makes it very uncomfortable on the road."The GT3 engine mounts are electrically controlled depending on how you drive, or you can turn them on with the Sport button.  The mounts stiffen so the engine doesn't turn slightly after the chassis so you don't get pendulum affect. As soon as you go straight again it softens up."DrivingDespite Winkler's assertion that the new GT3 will be a more road-oriented vehicle, Porsche launched the car with a track day at Queensland Raceway.  The track's notorious bumps were out to unsettle the car, while the high g-forces of turns 1 and 2 would test the new stability program. Neither seemed to shake the un-stickable GT3.V8 Supercar driver and Porsche Sport Driving School instructor Fabian Coulthard suggested avoiding the "Sport" button which would make the suspension too stiff for the track's bumps and the throttle a bit too touchy for smooth application of throttle.That's because the GT5 rewards the smooth driver but threatens to spank the rough driver before pulling back from the brink and keeping the car pointed forward thanks to the stability and traction control and a more aggressive limited slip differential.The mechanical diff does a lot of work to keep things under control before the intervention of the electronic controls, allowing plenty of latitude and play.  Together with the electronic engine mount system, they virtually negate the distinctive pendulum effect of the rear-engined car.The test cars were fitted with the optional ceramic brakes which have a sharp bite and require a delicate touch, but didn't fade after a full day of punishing treatment.  Steering is pin sharp so long as you control the pitch of the car under braking and acceleration.Veteran campaigner Tomas Mezera, who runs Porsche's driver training school, said that "straight out of the box" the GT3 was about one second faster on the shortened clubman circuit at Queensland Raceway.

Rapide by name, rapid by nature. That is the essence of Aston Martin's biggest step away from its traditional home ground in the company's almost 100-year history. At least the biggest until the arrival of the Cygnet next year.However, do not expect anyone behind the winged badge to budge an inch to any suggestion that this four-door, four-seater is anything but a traditional Aston Martin ... albeit with extra luggage space. "It is a sports car ... that is exactly what it is," Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez says at the company's Gaydon, England, headquarters as Carsguide prepares to be one of the first invited to ride in the radical new Aston. "The seats are real sports seats and when you sit in them you sit like you would in the front seat of the V12. The only thing missing is the steering wheel."There is a degree of licence in those comments — not because the seats are not sporting but rather because you are also missing any real sense of an outside world when tucked in behind the high-backed front seats. There is headroom and shoulder room for an average-sized adult, and leg room for a reasonably tall one ... but somehow it all still feels very tight.To be fair, I lean towards the claustrophobic and am not in the lithe category, but entry and exit to the rear is difficult. "I agree that it is not that easy to go in or go out for some people, but in that I would consider it like a Rolls-Royce where you have to also crawl in and crawl out," Dr Bez says. Any suggestion that Porsche's Panamera, a natural competitor for the Rapide, offers a better rear-seat experience is the equivalent of a flame to touchpaper."That is not a sportscar, it is a sedan ... a sports sedan," Dr Bez counters. "Our car is a sportscar. It looks like a sports car, it drives like a sports car, it is a sportscar ... and it is beautiful."Porsche may well take unbrage at the suggestion that their iteration of a four-door 911 is not a sportscar, however it would be difficult for the German meisters to mount a credible defence to the question of which designer has best represented the core product.AppearanceOur chariot for this first experience of the Rapide is a development prototype — a late one, to be sure but still not the finished item. The glass roof will not make an appearance on production models for some time yet and there are still a few tweaks and refinements being made in a bid to make the rear more comfortable for more people."There is some sculpting of trim around the C-Pillar and slight changes to the seat base to include some extra bolstering on the inboard side," Simon Barnes, Vehicle Engineering Manager and the man responsible for shepherding the Rapide through to the culmination of Dr Bez's vision of a true four-seat sportscar.With only a handful of completed Rapides in existence  a total of 35 development cars have been built but most are no longer with us Aston Martin is not about to trust its cars to anyone outside the company just yet. Still, with Barnes behind the wheel, the demonstration of the Rapide's competence as a performance machine is quite probably well beyond any limits an outsider would be prepared to push through a loop of English country roads."We have really set the car up to be on a performance par with the DBS," Barnes explains as the countryside flashes by at what would be an alarming rate in less practiced hands. "I am not about to give any firm performance figures now but there is enough evidence to suggest it will match the DBS ... at least. "There are some compromises to the more luxurious nature of the car  some softer suspension settings and less engine and exhaust noise intrusion  but in no way is the car compromised."That said, Barnes is already planning to incorporate the Rapide's suspension settings into the DB9 and DBS  — ‘they are actually better for handling’  — along with the car's torsional stiffness, an eye-watering 29,500 Newtons per single degree of twist (2500 more than the DB twins). The Rapide sits on a variant of the company's VH platform  according to Dr Bez, an evolving philosophy as much as a physical engineering structure  with a 250mm longer wheelbase than the DB9 and at just on five metres long it has an extra 450mm in overall length.DrivetrainUnder the bonnet is the bespoke Aston Martin 6-litre V12 punching out 355kW and 645Nm. For all its extra size the Rapide weighs in at less than 200kg more than the DB9 and boasts a 51:49 weight distribution. Oddly, Aston Martin will not offer the performance carbon ceramic brake package available on the light DB cars.The boot has just over 300 litres of space with a full passenger complement but with the rear seats folded flat that balloons to close to 1000 litres of useable luggage space."There is a huge variability in how you can use the car," Dr Bez says. "There is a very generous luggage space with the seats folded and even if you have one person in the back you can have the other side folded down for extra luggage."It is innevitable that the Rapide will take sales from the DB9 and DBS 2+2 cars, but Dr Bez says he is hopeful of as much as 80 per cent of the projected 2000 annual sales will be conquest. "Of course DB9 or DBS customers who need a little more space will go to this car, but they are not my main targets. There are many people who are happy to have a 2+2 and don't need anything more."But there are other people who may want to take family or friends on longer journeys where the back of a DB9 or DBS is just not suitable. However, while they need more flexibility they do not need or want a big car  they don't want an SUV or a limousine." What Aston Martin hopes to do is leverage off the brand's exclusivity and desireability."Our car is representative (of succcess and position) and in the same way delivers real freedom of space and sportscar performance. So, I am looking for people who are looking at or already own Maserati Quattreporte, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S-Class or CLS and (Porsche) Panamera of course. "Rapide is absolutely a conquest vehicle. I would love to have 50 to 80 per cent of conquest with this car, not just the old Aston Martin guys saying `well, now I have something else'. Rapide should open us to a new group of customers who for whatever reason previously could not consider an Aston Martin."

Australia could be the fourth country to get an electric Mini.The BMW Group has produced about 500 Mini E vehicles which run on mains electricity stored in a battery. They are loaned out to VIPs and government departments in the US, Germany and recently England.BMW Australia product communications manager Tim James hopes Australia will be the next to get an appraisal vehicle. "We have submitted a request to have a vehicle as part of a small pilot programme in Australia for various press evaluation and potentially government departments," he said. "There is no confirmation yet, but we have asked and we are confident. "Timing is unconfirmed at this stage."Unless you have been living in the Big Brother House for the past year, you would be aware that electric vehicles are imminent. Nissan, Mitsubishi, Smart and others are about to release mass market models while many other manufacturers are experimenting with small-volume test vehicles. Mini is one such company.Where the Mini E differs from most other models is that it is a commonly recognisable car. In the past, electric cars have either been golf carts or space-age weirdo machines that look like something George Jetson would drive. They were also thought to be slugs until Tesla came along and sorted that out; albeit with an expensive price tag. But they were never thought to be cars we could actually drive and afford. Until Mini E.Here is a car that looks exactly like a normal car. The only differences are some decals and the fact that it is a two-seater as the battery takes up the back seat.Mini E has a claimed range of 240km, produces 150kW of power and 220Nm of torque and will accelerate to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.DrivingBMW last week loaned a Mini E to four Australian journalists to test around the streets and autobahns of Munich and surrounds. While we can confirm that it accelerates in a linear fashion to 100km/h in about 8.5 seconds, the claim about range must be based on a little old lady driving it to church.After our strenuous testing, the range indicator (where the tacho normally is) told us we would get about 70 per cent of the claimed range. Mini E project director Dieter Falkensteiner told us it was ‘driveable like a Mini auto’. However, with its enormous torque from go, it is a bit of a torque-steering handful when the lights go green.It also features overly aggressive regenerative braking which harnesses the kinetic energy of the brakes to recharge the battery.However, it feels as if the handbrake is still on. As soon as you release pressure on the accelerator, there is substantial deceleration. No coasting as you would expect in a normal car. This is fairly common for en electric vehicle, but it is the most dramatic of any electric cars I have driven. It is so effective, that it will decelerate to a complete stop from 100km/h in about 12 seconds without having to touch the brakes at all. That might be good for brake disc wear, but it will certainly take some getting used to.Together with a slight delay in the accelerator response, I found it rather difficult to drive smoothly especially in stop-go traffic. However, if you are keen on having a red-hot go, it rewards with a powerful thrust of linear acceleration, accompanied only by the muted sounds of a hair dryer. In fact, that sound is the airconditioning system trying to keep the battery cool.The 260kg battery takes up the entire back seat area and adds to the vehicle's extra weight which is up about 400kg on as similar auto Cooper. The battery can be quick charged on 50amp in about 2.5 hours or 32amp in five hours and draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity, costing about $5, depending on your supplier and when you charge. Australian mains power would charge it in around eight hours. Falkensteiner said that with development, the battery size would be reduced and the rear seat returned. How that battery copes with Australia's extremes of temperature are yet to be determined.Mini EBody: 2-door, 2-seaterMotor: asynchronous electricPower: 150kWTorque: 220NmBattery: lithium-ionWeight: 1465kgAcceleration: 0-100km/h 8.5 seconds

Diesel power is set to drive BMW sales further over the next few months. In the past five years since introducing oil-burning engines to its fleet in Australia the German brand has increased the proportion of diesel sales to 34 per cent.A number of new diesel BMW 1 and 3 Series models, including the first BMW diesel convertibles, will hit the market in December followed by a diesel 5 Series Gran Turismo in March and two diesel X1 models in April.BMW Australia product communications manager Tim James said he expected the proportion of diesel sales in the fleet would increase with the new models. The 1 Series is currently one-third diesel, but in December BMW will add the 118d hatch and convertible in six-speed auto and manual with prices starting from $42,170.The 118d Sports Hatch is the 2008 World Green Car of the Year with its two-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine developing 105kW of power, 300Nm of torque, but sipping fuel at 4.5 litres per kilometre and emitting 119g of CO2 per kilometre. It will feature in its twin-turbo format in the 123d hatch, coupe and convertible with prices starting at $50,790 and going up to $69,480.However, it does not attract the luxury car tax because the two-litre twin turbo's fuel economy is well below the 7L/100km requirement for exemption. Depending on the vehicle, it returns economy figures of 5.2 to 5.4L/100km while delivering 150KW and 400Nm. The single turbo two-litre diesel also arrives in the 320d Touring, Coupe and Convertible in December with prices from $61,500.The 3 Series Coupe and Convertible also get the three-litre diesel straight six used elsewhere in the fleet with prices from $91,900 and in the new 5 Series GT coming in March with prices starting from about $140,000.BMW's smallest SUV arrives in April in diesel guise only. The X1 xDrive20d uses the two-litre, four-cylinder diesel and the xDrive23d uses the twin-turbo engine. James said a 1.8 diesel engine was also being considered for the X1.Diesel penetration in BMW cars is highest in the 5 Series with almost 50 per cent now diesel and the 520d the volume seller, James said. It is followed by the 1 Series with one-third and the 3 Series with 17 per cent. James said diesel was even making inroads in the 7 Series. "The 730d was launched in June and already signs are it will become the volume model," he said.The car returns fuel economy figures of 7.2L/100km, but from this month, new production models will achieve 6.8L/100km and not attract the luxury car tax. James said this was already factored into the pricing, saving buyers $5000. BMW now has 21 cars with fuel economy less than 7L/100km.The X models have been the real winners for diesel. James said diesel represented 85 per cent of X3 sales and 80 per cent of X5 sales, while petrol was the most popular choice among X6 owners.Driving BMW supplied a 118d hatch, 123d hatch and convertible and 330d coupe for test through Bavaria last week. With a mix of autobahn, country road and tight village lane driving, each returned fuel economy figures on their on-board computers similar to official claims.At 200km/h on the autobahn, even the 118d three door (we will get the five-door) still felt like it had more to give, the diesels not only having low-end grunt but plenty of meat throughout the rev range.They are quiet, refined and have less idle clatter than is common among diesels. But it's the twin-turbo model that really stands out, sounding and feeling more like a petrol engine with its free revving and mid-to-top-end power. Handling is not adversely affected by the extra weight of the engines, although steering may be marginally heavier.The manual models feature auto stop-start which cuts the engine when it is stationary and in neutral, starting again when the clutch is pushed in. While this same function feels rough in the new X1 and Mini diesel, it feels much smoother here, maybe because of the engine positioning.James said the auto stop-start function had not yet been engineered for automatic transmissions, but they were working on it. The six-speed manual gearboxes feature well-chosen ratios, although first is a little short and sixth will be wasted in Australia where the highway maximum speed limit is 110km/h.NEW BMW DIESELS (From December)118d Sports Hatch (6-speed manual) $42,170118d Sports Hatch (6-speed steptronic auto) $44,370123d Sports Hatch (man) $50,790123d Sports Hatch (auto) $53,070123d Coupe (man) $57,900123d Coupe (auto) $60,180118d Convertible (man) $52,900118d Convertible (auto) $55,019123d Convertible (man) $67,200123d Convertible (auto) $69,480320d Executive Touring $61,500320d Coupe $67,500320d Convertible $80,400330d Coupe $91,900330d Convertible $104,850From March)530d Gran Turismo from about $140,000From April)X1 xDrive20d and xDrive23d from low $50,000s 

People who think nothing can beat an HSV GTS probably need to get out more. Time in an E63 AMG from Mercedes-Benz would also help ...This car is subtle, like your average sledgehammer. And affordable, like a private jet. But there is no denying the E63 is another benchmark car from the brand with the silver star, thanks to a muscular makeover on the latest E Class sedan that contributes a 386kW V8 engine, AMG's manual-style seven-speed gearbox, massive brakes and tyres, and the sort of body bulges — as well as a twin-pipe exhaust — that step it away from the luxury car schmoozers.Somehow the engineers at AMG Mercedes have even managed to tickle a 12 per cent fuel economy improvement over the previous E63, a result claimed as a class win for sports sedans with more than 377kW in the engine room. Not that most owners will care, except to calm their green friends.Yes, the E63 will cost around $230,000 when it lands in Australia next year. And that's much more than double the ticket for a GTS, even though the silver star car only has an extra 61kW.But once you spend time with the E63, and the people who created it, you appreciate the cost and the complication of doing a job on a car like the E Class.Still, just to keep you going, the belter Benz has to be roped down electronically to a top speed of 250km/h and will thunder to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds. If it was taken off the leash it could easily do 307km/h and that sprint time is possible with four passengers and some luggage on board."If you look at the car, only the body is still from the Mercedes mother ship," says Mario Spitzner, number two man at AMG Mercedes, speaking at the company's base at Affalterbach in Germany. "It's a real fun car. It should go well in Australia. You people are very emotional about our products."The emotion in the E63 comes from the same sort of engineering makeover that was done first on the pocket rocket C63. The latest go- faster C was the first time AMG was allowed by Benz to really tweak the basics of a car, particularly the suspension, to make more than just a Mercedes with a monster motor.This time, the E has been re-engineered from the firewall forward with everything from unique suspension pieces to AMG steering. As well as the usual brake-and-wheel work at each corner, sports seats and pieces in the cabin, and a thumping exhaust note.The objective is to create — whisper it — BMW-style steering response and cornering balance, but still with the kick you get from a hand- built V8 with 630 Newton-metres of torque.The gearbox is an AMG first, still an automatic but with the torque convertor replaced by a wet clutch for really quick shifts and manual- style response to the paddles behind the wheel. There is even a race- style launch system.Driving The E63 sits solid and relaxed at 200-210km/h on an autobarn run to the Frankfurt Motor Show. There are three people aboard, with a boot full of luggage, and life is relaxed and easy.It would be better if we could find an English-language radio station but the company is great, even if the Benz boss eventually slips off to sleep.So there are no questions about the ability of the E63 on home ground. It is an absolute belter of a performance car yet still has Benz luxury and E Class space.But it is likely to be too firm for broken Australian roads and the performance will be wasted against 110km/h limits. And there is the price . . . "We already have people queued and waiting for this car. They just want it," says David McCarthy of Mercedes-Benz Australia.They will get a vehicle which is blisteringly quick, incredibly refined and more than different enough to stand out from the rest of the Benz family. Particularly when you hear the roar of the 6.2-litre V8 through the car's active exhaust.The new gearbox is also an excellent development and proves that manuals are over-rated in this sort of go-fast car. Although I never managed a full-on race start ... 

Elegance has evolved into elan in the E-Class range. The conservative creases on the outgoing model have been resculpted into contemporary curves that make Mercedes-Benz midrange models genuinely sexy.The E has always enjoyed the moral high ground; brilliantly built, prestige transporters with a focus on safety and occupant comfort. The staid styling, though, has seen younger professionals head to BMW and Audi. That should stop with this model, particularly when the adrenaline-added AMG models arrive later this year.For now the E500 sedan and coupe share top billing. The 5.5-litre V8 engines are carried over, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to 285kW and 530Nm.Mate that performance to a seven-speed auto and you have awesome midrange acceleration and a top end best tested on a track. Bury the right foot and the V8 emits enough of a growl to intrude into the cabin. With less urgency the Merc is virtually silent ... all the better to hear the startled inhalations from first-time passengers as the coupe hooks in to a hairpin.The E-Class is built on the C-Class platform, so it's not surprising the Merc handles like a more compact car. What is surprising is how tenaciously it hangs on with the suspension set to Sport, giving just a touch of understeer to warn when momentum is close to overtaking mechanical grip.Press on from there and the software safety suite kicks in with a flicker of amber lights on the dash, as the inside wheels are automatically slowed to get you around the corner.The Merc points where you want it to, but doesn't offer the same feel through the wheel of its German rivals — it's more insulated, but no more insecure.Take-off is the only time you'll find the classy coupe lagging. There's relatively little go until the engine has wound up so you won't be winning the launch off the lights. It does, however, make dawdling in traffic and car parks a much easier proposition, so I suspect it's an engineered effect.The interior has all the fruit you'd expect for $175,000, packaged in a layout that is as practical as it is polished. Every control is logical; most are intuitive. Press the buttons on the radio, for example, and the station change is instant; twist the dial and it scrolls through the frequencies. Nice.Boot space is cavernous and access to the rear seats is pretty straightforward. Lift a lever on the side of the seats and the motors roll it forward, so 180cm passengers can enter and exit without being gymnasts. They may, however, be a bit cramped once they're in: the sloping coupe roof on the coupe does limit headroom.If you're a genuinely enthusiastic driver, hold fire until the AMG arrives here early next year with the promise of a truly dynamic drive. Most people, however, will find the E500 more than a match for their driving, with luxury that you'd expect from a top-of-the-range S-Class.